Boy Thanksgiving is almost here. The time is just flying by! It is almost full throttle baking season and I wanted to create some recipes that might help you pull all of this together real fast. This time of year there are just not enough hours in a day! It pretty much starts turning that way right after Halloween. Speaking of Halloween my decorations are still out. I guess I had better get those picked up before hosting the big turkey.
These Four Sweet Mini Loaves from One Dough are just the recipe to help you knock out all those baked holiday goods. From the easy base sweet dough you will make four different sweet breads; cranberry orange, eggnog, cherry almond and banana nut! This recipe is quick to come together and remarkably the loaves all turn out great with individual flavor and cook perfectly in about twenty-five to twenty-eight minutes. The main sweet bread dough produces three of each mini sweet bread loaf. Now maybe you want to double this recipe. Easy enough just double the base dough and double the adds ins for each type of mini loaf and make six of each kind.
Have you tried any of my other sweet breads? Apple Pecan Sweet Bread, Strawberry Banana Pineapple Bread and Raspberry Lemon Bread with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting are all super delicious!!
These Four Sweet Mini Loaves from One Dough are perfect for holiday baking be it Thanksgiving, Christmas or even Valentines Day. You can gift them in little bread bags tied with coordinating holiday ribbon and gift tags.
Ingredients
Sweet Bread Base Dough
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
Cranberry Orange add ins
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 tablespoons orange zest
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Eggnog add ins
- 1/4 cup prepared eggnog
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon rum
Cherry Almond add ins
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
- 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
Banana Nut add ins
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup mashed overripe banana
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Please see notes in post on correct pan size.
- In large bowl mix flour, salt and baking powder. In small bowl whisk together milk, eggs and and vegetable oil. Add milk mixture and sugars to flour mixture and stir just to combine. Do not over mix as it may make the bread tough.
- Pour 3/4 to 1 cup base batter (ideally you are trying to hit right in the middle) in large pyrex measuring cup. Stir in cranberries, orange zest and orange juice. Again do not over mix. Pour into mini loaf pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray; filling three of the holes. Please see notes in post on correct size pan.
- Rinse out measuring cup. Pour 3/4 to 1 cup base batter (ideally you are trying to hit right in the middle) in large pyrex measuring cup. Stir in eggnog, nutmeg and rum. Again do not over mix. Pour into mini loaf pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray; filling three of the holes.
- Rinse out measuring cup. Pour 3/4 to 1 cup base batter (ideally you are trying to hit right in the middle) in large pyrex measuring cup. Stir in sliced almonds, maraschino cherries and maraschino cherry juice. Again do not over mix. Pour into mini loaf pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray; filling three of the holes.
- Rinse out measuring cup. Pour 3/4 to 1 cup base batter (ideally you are trying to hit right in the middle) in large pyrex measuring cup. Stir in baking soda, vanilla extract, pecans and mashed banana. Again do not over mix. Pour into mini loaf pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray; filling three of the holes.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pan. Cool completely before putting in mini bread bags.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Nicci
Any idea how to adjust for high altitude?
Beth Pierce
Not familiar with high altitude cooking but maybe the readers are.
Paula
I love these loaves and have been making them for several years. They are great as gifts!
I use small ceramic mini loaf pans 2 1/2 x 5″, 2 inches deep to bake them in and can get about 6 loaves. I bake them for 30 minutes & then start checking about every 5 minutes to see if they are done. I love to experiment with different add ins. My latest is white chocolate chips in the cranberry loaf. It is delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Paula! So glad that you like them and thanks for the chocolate chip tip!
Matt
I’m planning on making these for Christmas. Can I make the batter in the morning and refrigerate for a couple hours before baking?
Beth Pierce
The problem is that the baking soda starts working as soon as it is mixed. The bread may or may not rise properly.
Abby
Hello! These all sound delicious, I am going to try my hand at them this year for Christmas. What would you recommend if I would just like to do two different batches at a time-instead of the 4. I would really like to try cherry almond and the orange cranberry. What measurements would you recommend?
Thank you, merry Christmas!
Kendall
I noticed this recipe makes 12 mini loafs but the pan you suggested holds only 8.Should I double the recipes?
Beth Pierce
No just reuse the pan. Do not double the recipe.
Evelyn
Please give EXACT size of mini pan. And are you measuring top or bottom of pan?
Beth Pierce
3.28″ x 2.5″
Lori
Beth,
Are you using the 6″ long loaf pans? 6″ x 3.28″ x 2.5″?
Beth Pierce
So sorry about the delay. I have been so crazy busy lately. It was a pan more like this that I borrowed from my dear neighbor
Suzanne
These look so good! It’s so nice to have a base and some variations so you can mix it up without getting too complicated. What a fun one to give out at Christmas time!
Joyce Carian
I made these in the ez foil mini bread pans. I split the sweet bread base in half and then doubled the add ins for the flavors. This made enough to fill 2 pans each of the 2 flavors, 4 pans total. I added longer cooking time about 10 min. They were great. Thanks so much for sharing.
sandy wodlarski
Can I freeze these?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can.
Joyce Carian
If you used the ez foil pans would you increase the cook time. I was thinking I could make 4 ez foil mini pans from this recipe but not sure about how long to cook them. How do you know when they are done?
Beth Pierce
I am not familiar with those pans. The loaves would be done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean except keep in mind with the cranberry bread you could get a little bit of cranberry on the toothpick. Are you think that you are going to get two loaves out of each mix?
Joyce Carian
Thanks so much for your quick reply. I am thinking I will get one loaf out of each mix. Thanks so much for your help with this and Merry Christmas.
Beth Pierce
Oh one more thing…yes I think time would increase by just 2-4 minutes…not too much at all
Vicki
Did you use dark rum
Beth Pierce
Yes I did but the lighter rum would work too if you have it already at your home.